In the News

March 14, 2012 — The Wisconsin Assembly this week passed bills that would restrict insurance coverage of abortion services and require schools to teach that abstinence is the only reliable method of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, the AP/Racine Journal Times reports.

Lawmakers voted 61-34 on Tuesday evening to approve a bill (AB 154) that would ban health plans operating in the state's health insurance exchanges from offering abortion coverage. The federal health reform law (PL 111-148) requires states to set up exchanges by 2014 to allow residents to purchase polices. Although the law already requires plans that offer abortion coverage to segregate payments for the coverage from other benefits, states can opt to ban abortion coverage altogether.

The bill has already been approved by the Senate and now heads to Gov. Scott Walker (R) for consideration. The bill would allow insurance coverage of abortion in cases of rape, incest or when the woman's health is at risk.

Sex Education Bill

The Assembly also voted 60-34 to pass the sex education bill (AB 337), which would undermine a law Democrats passed last year (Bauer, AP/Racine Journal Times, 3/14). That law requires schools that chose to teach sex education to teach about contraception as part of a multi-faceted approach (Women's Health Policy Report, 1/20).

The bill was approved by the Senate in November and now goes to Walker.

Antiabortion Bill Pending

Meanwhile, a pending Assembly bill (AB 371) would require a doctor to first physically examine a woman and remain in the same room as her when providing medication abortion drugs. Supporters of the measure said it will ensure doctors are not using telemedicine for consultations. Opponents have noted that telemedicine is not used in abortion care in Wisconsin and suggested that the true intent of the measure is to limit access to the procedure.

Under the bill, a woman also would have to have a private consultation with a doctor at least 24 hours before abortion care to ensure that she had not been coerced (AP/Racine Journal Times, 3/14).

Video Round Up

N.C. Gov. To Break Campaign Promise on Abortion Bills

AP/ABC News 11's Ed Crump discusses how North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) will break his campaign pledge to not sign any abortion restrictions if he signs a 72-hour mandatory delay bill into law. Watch the video

Datapoints

See where states rank on reproductive rights across the U.S. Plus, find out how states are imposing more restrictions on and limiting women's access to abortion. Read more

At A Glance

"Not since before Roe v. Wade has a law or court decision had the potential to devastate access to reproductive health care on such a sweeping scale."

— Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, on a ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld major portions of a Texas antiabortion-rights law. Read more